Near Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake is "The Note Coffee," a café whose walls, ceiling, and even stairs are densely covered with colorful sticky notes. Messages left by customers since 2012 pile up in layer upon layer, turning the whole interior into something like a giant doodle pad. The gimmick of letting you add your own note and take part in shaping the space draws travelers from around the world. Right by the lake, it's also an easy stop between rounds of sightseeing in Hanoi's Old Town.
A four-to-five-story café covered in sticky notes, right by Hoan Kiem Lake
The shop is at 64 Luong Van Can Street in Hoan Kiem district. Close to Hoan Kiem Lake, it looks out over the lake and the bustling streets. The building is split across several floors, and every floor is filled with sticky notes written by visitors. You order and pay on the first floor, and once you find a seat you like upstairs, staff bring your drink to you.
"An interior made by customers," accumulating since 2012
The sticky notes have been added by customers since 2012, with messages piling up in layer upon layer to cover the walls and ceiling. The sight of words from travelers of different countries and languages lined up across every surface is spectacular, and the interior itself is the collective work of everyone who has ever visited. Wandering the seats in search of words you like is one way to enjoy it.
You can join in by sticking up a note of your own
The heart of this café is that you don't just look, you take part. Write a message on a note and stick it wherever you like, and you too become part of the interior. Many people leave the date or their name as a travel keepsake, and there's the added fun of visiting again later to find your own note. With strong reach on social media, it's counted among the most photographed cafés in Hanoi.
Menu and prices (with yen conversions)
The signature is Vietnam's famous egg coffee. There are also light bites like coconut coffee frappe and croissants. Prices are generally in the range of a tourist-area café.
| Menu | Price |
|---|---|
| Egg coffee (12 oz) | About 60,000 VND (about 342 yen) |
| Coconut coffee (12 oz) | About 60,000 VND (about 342 yen) |
| Croissant | About 27,000 VND (about 154 yen) |
| Pain au chocolat | About 30,000 VND (about 171 yen) |
A guide based on converting 10,000 VND at about 57 yen. Egg coffee has a rich sweetness from whipped egg yolk and is popular with tourists as a specialty that originated in Hanoi.
Opening hours and tips for visiting
Hours are 8:00 to 22:30 Monday through Thursday, and 7:00 to 23:00 Friday through Sunday. If you want breakfast with a view of the lake, right after opening is ideal; if you want to take your time with photos, aim for before it gets crowded. The upper floors tend to be quieter to sit, so make time to search for a seat while reading the notes.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday-Thursday | 8:00〜22:30 |
| Friday-Sunday | 7:00〜23:00 |
Summary
The Note Coffee is a "participatory" café built up over more than a decade from sticky notes left by customers. The experience of adding your own words and becoming part of the interior adds an easy memory to sightseeing in Hanoi's Old Town. If you're strolling around Hoan Kiem Lake, stop by and leave a note of your own.
Related articles:
・A café with edible cups (Hanoi)
・The 2-liter matcha café
・Michelin-listed banh mi
Source:Airial / Instagrammable places in Hanoi / Coffeehan / The Note Coffee review
